Pompeii Butterfly
by Hakidonmuya Hintoyokiyona
Summary: Consumed by the spirit of the wendigo, Joshua Washington struggles to realise his humanity until a girl returns to Alberta to find him. Although she may try whatever means necessary to bring him back into the light, for him to remember the beauty of life, Jaeda Rose has just endangered her life ten fold for even considering to heal this broken man. The reader must help her choose.


"Can you tell us what happened?" Exhausted emotions, broken spirit, scarlet wounds. "Miss?" The raven-head's eyelids drooped low, losing the will to stay open. French manicure no more. Just the remains of chipped glue which had been pressed down so hard by the beautician.  
"Something... was after us." Her voice held no joy. No ambition. Only sombre notes. "We... we tried to run... b-but..." Gritting her teeth, her lips quivered and suddenly she shook furiously. "My friends were killed. M-Murdered... by those... th-those THINGS." It hadn't been the first time this investigator had heard these words. No surprise came to the being.

"Who was murdered?" The investigator provoked, causing the nineteen year old to lift her head, looking directly at the camera that had been filming her since the beginning of the interview.

"Sam and Ashley. I saw them get killed with my own eyes. I-" Forgetting her words, the girl snapped her head to the right and gagged, slapping the back of her hand over her mouth. Images of such graphic deaths flashed at her like a herd of photographers.

"Take your time, Miss." No words came from the victim. Not for a long while.

"..." Swallowing the mixture of bile and saliva, she finally raised her head to look at the investigator, now with a deadpan expression. "I only remember escaping the cabin with Emily, Mike and Chris. I... I don't know about the others. Matt... all I heard was that he left Emily a-and that Jessica had been attacked by Josh – but I know Josh would never do such a thing-" Those last few words left her mouth so quickly, disrupting the beat of her heart, hands shaking as a result. Her devotion to the older male was genuine. Although she hated everything he had done to her, old bonds were hard to fully exterminate. After a few seconds had passed, allowing the victim to calm down, the investigator once more pressed on.

"Miss... Unfortunately, after searching the area – we have found the remains of your friends other than Miss Samantha Giddings and Miss Ashley Brown..." The girl's eyes widened, shaking her head to dismiss the very possible bad news hurling towards her.

"Please... please tell me they made it. Matt and Jess. And Josh- Please."

"Mr Matthew Taylor-"

"You can't take them away from me, too..."

"-and Miss Jessica Riley also died from indescribable wounds which we are currently investigating." Ringing in her ears, only to get louder and louder. Her hand went to her forehead and silently she shook her head. "Miss Rose? The whereabouts of Joshua Washington have yet to be found. Do you have any idea where he could be that may be helpful to the investigation?" Her thoughts silenced the room, only to avoid eye contact with a low whisper against the ticking of the clock.

"No." 

It was March the 2nd of 2015. Exactly one month since Jaeda Rose's escape from Blackwood Mountain along with Emily Davis, Michael Munroe and Christopher Hartley. Mike was the one to try and reach out to everyone, but as noble as his intentions were, the others weren't ready. And neither was Jaeda. Chris was emotionally drained, almost unable to comprehend that his friends were gone, especially Ashley. Emily seemed to cope the best, going on with her life as normal but occasionally, the girl would snap and demand that the Washington's paid in some way for what had happened.

As for Jaeda; she was lost. Caught in a spiral of what ifs. Despite being closest with Emily, not once did Jaeda text her. The last they saw one another was at the airport before they went to go their separate ways. No word since.

Guilt was what consumed her. Guilt over Joshua Washington. The uncertainty of his fate and what she had said at the station was what plagued her mind. She knew all too well where Josh was; which was why she now stood at the cable cart station at Blackwood Mountain. Her heart bled for the boy, pumping hope through her veins that he was still alive. No... she knew he was alive. It was obviously.

There had been leaked documents with the names of the police officers who had not returned from the mines to look for any more survivors of Blackwood. Only one scenario came to mind – and it was not one she wished to believe. However it was the only possible one. All of the wendigo had been killed since the lodge went up in flames... yet another was clearly in the works.

' _It has to be Josh. It just has to be.'_ Jaeda thought to herself, wrapping her arms tightly around herself to shield her body from the air's nasty bite. Why did she care so much? Josh was her ex-boyfriend. And ex-friend-with-benefits. A very detailed and explicit history between the two. Despite this objectifying relationship they shared, it was clear that she still held onto the ancient ties of their once love for each other.

Albeit the love of a friend or romantic interest, it was that very magnetic pull that brought her all the way out here from England, to Alberta. Her love however blinds her from the truth that she could very possibly be killed in a mere second if Josh were to lay eyes on her... What decision should she make?

 **HEROIC**

I need to find Josh...

 **HONEST**

I'm scared. I can't do this!


End file.
